THE MIND

First we shall define the Mind

We want to see how the mind is and how imperative learning this is for our salvation

Definition of mind

1.The ability for rational thought.

2.The ability to be aware of things.

3.The ability to remember things.

4.The ability to focus the thoughts.

5.Judgment, opinion, or view.

6.The ability for rational thought.

Just looking at these definitions one can see what important role the brain plays in order for us to be
saved

Laws Governing the Mind

Man Created With Perfectly Balanced Mind—The Lord made man upright in the beginning. He was
created with a perfectly balanced mind, the size and strength of all its organs being perfectly developed.
Adam was a perfect type of man. Every quality of mind was well proportioned, each having a distinctive
office, and yet all dependent one upon another for the full and proper use of any one of them.—
Testimonies for the Church 3:72 (1872). 2MCP 415.1

Just look At how the mind was in creation “perfectly balanced”, “well proportioned “ but I don’t think
that’s the case in our day .

Creator Ordained Laws of the Mind—He who created the mind and ordained its laws provided for its
development in accordance with them.—Education, 41 (1903). 2MCP 415.2

There are laws governing the mind how interesting

God’s Great Laws—There are great laws that govern the world of nature, and spiritual things are
controlled by principles equally certain. The means for an end must be employed if the desired results
are to be attained. God has appointed to every man his work according to his ability. It is by education
and practice that persons are to be qualified to meet any emergency which may arise, and wise planning
is needed to place each one in his proper sphere that he may obtain an experience that will fit him to
bear responsibility.—Testimonies for the Church 9:221, 222 (1909). 2MCP 415.3

When the time shall come, in the providence of God, for the world to be tested upon the truth for that
time, *minds will be exercised by His Spirit to search* *the Scriptures* , even with fasting and with
prayer, until link after link is searched out and united in a perfect chain. Every fact which immediately
concerns the salvation of souls will be made so clear that none need err or walk in darkness. 2T 692.1

Note that it is the mind that is to be exercised in order for us to search the scriptures

The study of God’s word is continually expanding the mind and strengthening the intellect. There is
nothing that will so refine and elevate the character, and give vigor to every faculty, as the continual
exercise of the mind to grasp and comprehend weighty and important truths. CE 242.1

The mind must be kept free from everything that would lead it in a wrong direction. It should not be
encumbered with trashy stories, which do not add strength to the mental powers. The thoughts will be
of the same character as the food we provide for the mind.15 CG 188.3

This is what causes us not to grasp the very important truths our minds are filled with trash

The mind is to be the reception of all truths that we are to bear hence it must be kept pure and well
cultivated .

The mind is the best possession we have; but it must be trained by study, by reflection, by learning in the
school of Christ, the best and truest educator the world has ever known. CE 204.1

What are we doing with the possession of the mind that we have

Power of Self-deception—Fearful is the power of self-deception on the human mind!—Testimonies for

the Church 4:88 (1876). 2MCP 417.

Now let us see what the mind can do

Mind Has Power to Discriminate—The human mind is endowed with power to discriminate between
right and wrong. God designs that men shall not decide from impulse, but from weight of evidence,
carefully comparing scripture with scripture. Had the Jews laid by their prejudice and compared written
prophecy with the facts characterizing the life of Jesus, they would have perceived a beautiful harmony
between the prophecies and their fulfillment in the life and ministry of the lowly Galilean.—The Desire
of Ages, 458 (1898). 2MCP 417.3

The mind has the power to discriminate between right and wrong

Disciplined Minds Have Increased Powers of Retention—Habits of negligence should be resolutely

overcome. Many think it a sufficient excuse for the grossest errors to plead forgetfulness. But do they
not, as well as others, possess intellectual faculties? Then they should discipline their minds to be
retentive. It is a sin to forget, a sin to be negligent. If you form a habit of negligence, you may neglect
your own soul’s salvation and at last find that you are unready for the kingdom of God.—Christ’s Object
Lessons, 358, 359 (1900). 2MCP 417.4

We see why our minds are not capable of retaining many quotations and scriptures, they are not well
disciplined

Minds Adapts to Dimensions of the Familiar—It is a law of the mind that it will narrow or expand to the
dimensions of the things with which it becomes familiar. The mental powers will surely become
contracted and will lose their ability to grasp the deep meanings of the Word of God unless they are put
vigorously and persistently to the task of searching for truth.—The Review and Herald, July 17, 1888.
(Fundamentals of Christian Education, 127). 2MCP 417.5

What is it that we are familiarizing our brains with?

Mind Adapts to That Upon Which It Dwells—It is a law of the mind that it gradually adapts itself to the
subjects upon which it is trained to dwell. If occupied with commonplace matters only, it will become
dwarfed and enfeebled. If never required to grapple with difficult problems, it will after a time almost
lose the power of growth. 2MCP 418.1

If we continually dwell on worldy things how do we expect our minds to think otherwise

Mind Has Power of Choice—God has given us the power of choice; it is ours to exercise. We cannot
change our hearts, we cannot control our thoughts, our impulses, our affections. We cannot make
ourselves pure, fit for God’s service. But we can choose to serve God, we can give Him our will; then He
will work in us to will and to do according to His good pleasure. Thus our whole nature will be brought
under the control of Christ.—The Ministry of Healing, 176 (1905). 2MCP 420.1

The tempter can never compel us to do evil. He cannot control minds unless they are yielded to his
control. The will must consent, faith must let go its hold upon Christ, before Satan can exercise his power
upon us. But every sinful desire we cherish affords him a foothold. Every point in which we fail of
meeting the divine standard is an open door by which he can enter to tempt and destroy us. And every
failure or defeat on our part gives occasion for him to reproach Christ.—The Desire of Ages, 125 (1898).
2MCP 420.2

The tempter can never compel us to do evil. He cannot control minds unless they are yielded to his
control. The will must consent, faith must let go its hold upon Christ, before Satan can exercise his power
upon us. But every sinful desire we cherish affords him a foothold. Every point in which we fail of
meeting the divine standard is an open door by which he can enter to tempt and destroy us. And every
failure or defeat on our part gives occasion for him to reproach Christ.—The Desire of Ages, 125 (1898).
2MCP 420.2

We see how we give Satan vantage ground to help us do evil not the other way round

Uncontrolled Mind Becomes Weak—The mental powers should be developed to the utmost; they should
be strengthened and ennobled by dwelling upon spiritual truths. If the mind is allowed to run almost
entirely upon trifling things and the common business of everyday life, it will, in accordance with one of
its unvarying laws, become weak and frivolous, and deficient in spiritual power.—Testimonies for the
Church 5:272 (1885). 2MCP 421.4

True

This is exactly what weakens our minds

Make the Mind a Storehouse of Truth—Oh, what is our excuse, my sisters, that we do not devote all the
time possible to searching the Scriptures, making the mind a storehouse of precious things, that we may
present them to those who are not interested in the truth? Will our sisters arise to the emergency? Will
they work for the Master?—Testimonies for the Church 6:118 (1900). DG 80.4

Are we going to be able to make our minds the storehouse of truth we can’t control them
Nothing will strengthen the mind more than study of the Scriptures. No other book can lift the thoughts
as does the Bible. If God’s Word were studied as it should be, people would have broader minds and
more noble characters. Bible study helps a person to have a purpose in life. STJ 89.4

The human mind becomes dwarfed and enfeebled when dealing with commonplace matters only, never
rising above the level of the things of time and sense to grasp the mysteries of the unseen. The
understanding is gradually brought to the level of the subjects with which it is constantly familiar. The
mind will contract its powers and lose its ability if it is not exercised to acquire additional knowledge and
put to the stretch to comprehend the revelations of divine power in nature and in the Sacred Word. CH
257.2

Yes

What is always occupying our minds ,”common place matters”

In the creation of man, the Lord designed that he should be active and useful. Yet many live in this world
as useless machines, as though they hardly existed. They brighten the path of none, they are a blessing
to none. They live only to burden others. So far as their influence on the side of right is concerned, they
are mere ciphers; but they tell with weight upon the wrong side. Search the lives of such closely, and
scarcely an act of disinterested benevolence can be found. When they die, their memory dies with them.
Their names soon perish; for they cannot live, even in the affections of their friends, by means of true
goodness and virtuous acts. With such persons, life has been a mistake. They have not been faithful
stewards. They have forgotten that their Creator has claims upon them, and that He designs them to be
active in doing good and in blessing others with their influence. Selfish interests attract the mind and
lead to forgetfulness of God and of the purpose of their Creator. CH 95.1

Instead of being useful we have chosen to be completely useless machines

All who profess to be followers of Jesus should feel that a duty rests upon them to preserve their bodies
in the best condition of health, that their minds may be clear to comprehend heavenly things. The mind
needs to be controlled; for it has a most powerful influence upon the health. The imagination often
misleads, and when indulged, brings severe forms of disease upon the afflicted. Many die of diseases
which are mostly imaginary…. CH 95.2

Now let us look at this matter health wise

Intemperance of any kind benumbs the perceptive organs and so weakens the brain nerve power that
eternal things are not appreciated, but placed upon a level with the common. The higher powers of the
mind, designed for elevated purposes, are brought into slavery to the baser passions. CH 105.1

Intemperance !

The minds of thinking men labor too hard. They frequently use their mental powers prodigally; while
there is another class whose highest aim in life is physical labor. The latter class do not exercise the mind.
Their muscles are exercised, while their brains are robbed of intellectual strength; just as the minds of
thinking men are worked, while their bodies are robbed of strength and vigor by their neglect to exercise
the muscles.

Ch 181,3
Indulgence of appetite and passion beclouds the mind, lessens physical strength, and weakens moral
power. Their thoughts are not clear. Their words are not spoken in power, are not vitalized by the Spirit
of God so as to reach the hearts of the hearers. CH 573.1

Too often so large an amount of food is eaten on the Sabbath that the mind is rendered dull and stupid,
incapable of appreciating spiritual things. The habits of eating have much to do with the many dull
religious exercises of the Sabbath. The diet for the Sabbath should be selected with reference to the
duties of the day on which the purest, holiest service is to be offered to God. CH 577.3

How often do we see people sleeping during Sabbath hours

The relation that exists between the mind and the body is very intimate. When one is affected, the other
sympathizes. The condition of the mind affects the health to a far greater degree than many realize.
Many of the diseases from which men suffer are the result of mental depression. Grief, anxiety,
discontent, remorse, guilt, distrust, all tend to break down the life forces and to invite decay and death.
CH 344.1

The body should be servant to the mind, and not the mind to the body.—Testimonies for the Church
1:486, 487, 1867 CD 33.1

Through appetite, Satan controls the mind and the whole being. Thousands who might have lived, have
passed into the grave, physical, mental, and moral wrecks, because they sacrificed all their powers to the
indulgence of appetite. The necessity for the men of this generation to call to their aid the power of the
will, strengthened by the grace of God, in order to withstand the temptations of Satan, and resist the
least indulgence of perverted appetite, is far greater than it was several generations ago. But the present
generation have less power of self-control than had those who lived then.—Christian Temperance and
Bible Hygiene, 37, 1890 CD 167.2

May God help us to train our minds always remembering that it is the best possession we have and it is
the most crucial point we have to work on for our salvation.

May God bless the reading of his word , Blessed day brethren